The Onewheel: A Self-Balancing Electric Monowheel Skateboard

Inspired by the hoverboard Michael J. Fox cruises around on in Back to the Future Part II, ex-IDEO'er Kyle Doerksen created the Onewheel. A self-balancing electric monowheel skateboard, the Onewheel seemingly replicates the feeling of riding around on a hoverboard (if not the form factor), and even a novice can purportedly pick up how to ride one in less than a minute; in addition to the self-balancing feature, riders can accelerate by leaning forward and slow down by leaning back, as with a Segway.

The 25-pound device will do 12 m.p.h., with a range of four to six miles. Charging the lithium battery takes from 20 minutes to two hours, depending on what type of charger you use. And the monowheel design means that maintenance is a lot simpler than it would be for a bicycle: "There's literally only one moving part—the wheel," writes Doerksen. "No gears, belts or chains to maintain."

And yes, the Onewheel is real, not just a concept; Doerksen and his team have it up on Kickstarter, where it's already tripled its $100,000 goal. Check out the video:

If you want to get in, there's just a week left to pledge, and the remaining buy-in slots start at $1,299.